Cut Me In (The ME Chronicles)
by Erizabesu Miharu
Summary: 2k16 verse. A toe-to-toe battle with Shredder's Elite Guard leaves Leo severely injured. Time working against them, April and the turtles can only think of one person who can help him heal... but will Emma come back when they ask her? Or is it even Emma's loyalties that they need to be questioning? slight Leo/Karai Read, rate, and review!
1. Chapter 1

**Even with all of my re-posting, I haven't forgotten about those of you who have been in this from the beginning. My M/E Chronicles began with 'How To Meet a Girl', charged on with 'How To Treat a Girl', then took a breath during 'How To Hate a Girl'. Things recharged for the turtles and co. in 'Optimum Illusion', sizzled during 'The Black Tie Affair', and a few things still lingered throughout my last story, 'Tempered Out'. This story picks up where that one left off... with as much suspense, humor, and ninja-knuckled fights as ever!**

 **If you're just joining the excitement, you should be able to get through this one within having read the others... I'll leave that discretion to you. Otherwise, I wish my readers a happy read as always. And as always, comment, comment, comment!**

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 **March, 2016, North Carolina, USA**

Emma shouldn't have set her hope on finishing her day at five. There'd been no skirt involved, only her paint-splattered jeans and a peach-and-teal striped shirt. Yet, it was a proven fact that mere observation made iron clad realities change. Whatever the case, she was trudging up the steps to the door of her apartment. Once inside, she slung her bag against the wall in the opening hallway, and planted her exhausted butt on the couch… to the sudden vibrate of her cell in her back pocket.

 _Aaagggh!_ Emma rolled her head to the ceiling, digging it out. _If there's another leak in the octopus tank… oh, it's Mikey!_

Emma glanced around the sitting room before she answered. Due to the Carolina's property values, she was harboring three roommates; whom had forced her to take the pull-out bed in the screened-in porch. A lesser woman might complain about the kinks it put in one's back… Emma flipped her phone open. "Heeeyyyy, Mik-"

"Emma." A voice far too worried to be Mikey cut her off. "Listen, um… Leo's hurt. Like, real bad. We… Shredder's got these new…"

Emma blinked, checking this info into her brain. "Whoa… how bad? What happened?"

Mikey didn't answer. Rather April did. "Emma. The guys fought with the Foot and Leo was injured. Bad and… none of us are sure how to… is there any way you can just, get here?"

Talk about being blindsided! Between Emma's hours with the research program, new social ties, and helping out in the church nursery, they had barely talked in months. Things had refused to repair themselves because neither of the girls- or guys- were willing to make the first repair. Emma had realized this around Christmas time, but hadn't been able to communicate as much. The turtles, April, Casey… they were all plenty strong together and had no doubt moved on. Yet, April was requesting her presence- and her medical bag. Emma brushed her stray hairs back, like it might help with her mental process. "April, I'm in North Carolina, remember."

"Donnie…" April pleaded and the phone changed voices again. "Emma, hi. Listen, I realize that this' out of the blue, but, if you can, I've bumped you into a 6:10 flight out of Charlotte. If you make it, you'll get here in an hour. We're holding off the bleeding, but we need you to stitch him up. Please."

Emma already felt the need to explode. Bleeding… they were going to hold it off for an hour? "I- I'll be there. Who's meeting me at JFK?"

"Casey'll meet you," Don relaxed by a few octaves. "We managed to get Leo into the back of his van; we're driving there now."

"Just keep the pressure on." Emma reminded him, stepping back to her bag. "I know what to bring."

Emma was already filtering through the pockets to ensure her supply of thread, needle, and antiseptic. She always kept an extra kit at home for the purpose of traveling onsite, but this one would be better equipped. And she had her medical card that would slip it right through security. She told Donnie to set up an IV if possible and hung up. Emma performed her first duty of leaving a note for any roommate that might happen through. Then she was in her car and halfway to the airport before remembering she'd forgotten a toothbrush and extra underwear. _Well, wouldn't be the first time I borrowed from April._

Would she be okay with that? It had been seven months since she had seen or talked with April, Casey, with anyone outside of Mikey. And being the sweetheart that he was, he didn't ask about… and Emma didn't offer up anything about it either. The holes from the needles had closed up by now, their circular scars a faded pink in their new skin on her throat and forehead. But there were other side effects. Her continuing fear of bathtubs, her trouble swallowing, and monthly nightmares…

 _Why did all that dark stuff have to happen?_ Emma would find herself still asking. _I'm too happy for it to go happening to me. And then there's…_

Not to mention that it kept blotting out the laughter with Mikey, the girl nights with April, and the sweet exhilarating of knowing her own personal ring of superheroes. In the end, that's what they were. And in truth, Emma knew that if she had just hung around Mikey and April and everyone, it would've been alright. They would understand. But contact had been minimal… and that had been her purpose in moving, right? So as not to put further stress on the family.

 _Oh well._ Emma shrugged as she braced for the descent of the plane. _Here is goes._

She didn't have long to wonder. Once the steel giant screeched to a stop, she grabbed her bag and headed out. Her phone showed a text and she checked it, keeping her bag close through the darting hordes of travelers.

 _Casey's van is parked at the bottom level of the parking garage. Hurry._

The plea in those singular words set a vibe that Emma wasn't accustomed to with the turtles. Sure, they faced evil and defied death on a daily basis, but they never took themselves seriously- but then, they were still eighteen. _Aw man, does that make me twenty-one!_

Her lofty train of thought was really meant to distract her from the agonizing pace of the airport elevator. As it finally binged to ground level, she bolted off and into the echoing underground of the parking garage. BMW, beemer- how did that fit in here?- Chevrolet,- ah, the mammoth Volkswagon from 1986! Good to see that Casey never lost his taste. And speaking of Casey… there he was, edgy and watching at the back doors of the van. It gave Emma a brief pause. "C-Casey."

His head erected, hair as long and black as ever, eyes piercing in a rare panic. He stepped in and hugged her! "This has been the longest three hours of my life!"

A gazillion feelings were waiting to burst from Emma at his hug, but she realized that wasn't why she was here. They needed her professional side, her medical side. She breathed in and pulled back. "Then let's get to Leo as fast as…"

Casey swung one of the back doors open. Emma cried out at the sight of Leo filling up the floor. "You brought him HERE!"

"He needs treatment ASAP." Donnie looked up from beside his brother's head. Emma climbed in after Casey, not failing to spot April sitting upfront with watered, worried eyes. "Treatment for?"

Donnie answered her with a lean back from Leo's side.

 **So? Thrilled to have Emma back?**


	2. Chapter 2

"Treatment for what?" Emma dared ask.

She knelt to the other side of Leo and got her answer. Donnie wasn't just there to monitor Leo, but was holding two fingers under a loose flap of skin on the side of Leo's neck! Emma gaped at the gash that about encircled the front of Leo's throat. Blood crusted over it, only to break and bleed anew with every breath Leo was forced to take.

"Wh-" Emma looked up at Donnie, spooked.

"Shredder's Elite Guard." Donnie said, voice thin. "They got in a lucky swipe with their grappling hook."

"This is not what I was expecting." Emma spoke before she could think. Yet, she had needle and thread, and the know how to use them. That, and the will to save a friend. Emma slowed her breathing, running through the steps that were needed, the questions that needed to be asked. She felt Leo's forehead. He was damp. "How long ago?"

"Going on three and a half hours." Donnie rubbed at his arm at the other one. "I've managed to suppress the exposed artery. But I can only calculate how much blood he's lost… with the strain of his swallowing…"

The tech wiz was at the end of his rope. Emma zipped open her bag, located her gloves, the needle and thread, gauze, surgical clamps, and scissors. "I'll have to take this slow. The artery needs to be sewn before I can sew up the gash. Understand?"

There were nods all across the van.

"But first," Emma snapped her gloves on and folded a gauze strip into a neat square. "I'll stuff this in there. You can move your hand in three, two, one."

Don's fingers broke away, Emma replacing them before any blood might squirt out. Leo grunted at the renewed pressure.

"Don't tense." Emma told him, finding those fierce blue eyes. They looked so tired. "I know that's asking a lot, but it'll only make the blood pump faster. Do you understand what I need to do? Blink twice."

Leo did.

"Can you focus on your inner-breathing?"

Two more blinks.

 _Okay then._ Emma exhaled, assessing the depth of the wound. "Donnie, I need light. Lots of it."

Instantly, bright bulbs spotlighted on her and Leo from something off of Don's backpack. Leo's face, free of the commonplace bandana, heightened in its intricacy and Emma swallowed at the vivid detail it brought to his wound. "April. My gloves are already soiled; can you thread my needle."

April did so. Emma could hear her hands shaking as she did. "Where're Mikey and Raph?"

"Mikey wasn't dealing too well." Casey said from the driver's seat… where he had somehow magically appeared. "Raph's pacing with him on the roof."

"Was that wise?" Emma looked up from her inspection. April handed her the needle "I made Raph _promise_ not to go on a rampage. Made him hold onto Leo's bandana as a promise."

"Oh," Emma posed her hands over the gauze, watching it clot dark red, almost black. Once she removed it… "Just hand me what I need, when I need it."

"You're not going to sedate him." April stopped her by the elbow.

Emma shook her head. "We can't risk muscle spasms or hematoma, not around his neck. I don't have any breathing tubes to stabilize him, were we to put him under anyway."

Casey swallowed. "Just hang in there, Leo. I… I think I'll keep watch outside."

 _Less clutter, the better._ Emma hated to admit. "Donnie, there's some disinfectant wipes in my bag. Clean your hands and I'll have you remove the gauze. Then I can start stitching."

"You can fix this right?" April asked, albeit gruffly. Emma glared a moment. She didn't need this added pressure. "I can help, but I can't promise anything. That'd be wrong."

With that, Emma got to work. The artery was easy to locate, the gap of skin was wide enough. Not good, on top of everything else. Emma had stressed not moving, but there was a stitch or two that Leo jerked away from. April and Don helped to hold him, Donnie also pressing more gauze on whenever fresh blood blocked Emma's work. She needed to go slow, the area was so delicate and Emma couldn't risk a misstep, er stitch.

The minutes ticked by, each hotter, stuffier then the last. Casey poked his head in a few times, whenever Raph or Mikey wanted an update. A kick back out the door from April however, gave him the answer. Then finally, Emma twisted the clamps, tied up the thread, and cut off the excess. "There."

April and Donnie echoed the long breath she let out. "I'm gonna bandage you up now, Leo. Then we're gonna get some sleep, alright."

Leo's eyes were already wilting, the exhaustion in them undeniable. Emma was weak with it herself, but she was far from done. Mending a wound was one thing; watching it heal was another.

"He can't stay here." April mentioned, falling back against the back of the seat.

"Tonight he can." Emma insisted, unraveling a long strip of gauze. "Moving him's too risky. Those stitches are too new and I don't want them ripping."

"I'll go pay for overnight parking then." Casey nodded and bolted once again from the van. Donnie eased himself against the wall, taking off his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose. "No longer then that, though. The sooner he's home, the better."

Emma agreed- Master Splinter was no doubt meditating out the whazoo to keep from worrying. They waited till Casey returned, leaving him and April to look after Leo while Donnie took her up to the roof. It was dark by now, but the runway lights provided them with sight.

Raph was staring off into the fluorescence, Mikey seated and fiddling with his skateboard. But they both rushed up when Emma stepped onto the roof. Emma opened her mouth to greet them, then about laughed in relief. _Mikey… he looks the same._

Why was that so uplifting to her? And… why had she forgotten to strip her gloves off before coming up to meet them? All the fingers were red with Leo's blood. _Real smooth, Emma._

She peeled them off in a hurry. "Hi guys. Yeah, so, I closed the gash. He's resting and we're just going to have to wait it out. I can't be sure of anything until it begins to heal."

"But he's stable." Raph urged, hazel eyes intense on her.

"For now." Emma doused her palms with hand sanitizer. "It's gonna be our job to keep him that way for the next few weeks."

"What'd ya mean 'our'?" Mikey's expression perked ever so slightly.

Emma offered a snort. "I'm not trusting you buffoons with his stitches. I'll call the clinic in the morning…"

"We couldn't ask it." Donnie said. Mikey slapped his shoulder, his personality slowly coming back to life. "Sure we can! Just so happens we've added on a guest bedroom, and…"

"Emma, really," Donnie slapped Mikey back. "You have school-"

Emma held up her hand. "Don, this is doctor's orders. Don't make me pull my medical license on you."

"You already got it?" Mikey looked at her puzzled. They all stared at him, then he grinned sheepishly. "Oh yeah… still two years, right."

The brothers shared a look and Emma wondered if they needed a minute. She half turned, then suddenly found them bowing. Don, Mikey, even Raph! Don looked up after a moment. "Thank you."

It took a moment for full realization to hit Emma, but she quickly bowed back. "No problem. Now, who wants the first watch? We're going to need a lot of Oreos and chocolate milk."

"Oh, I am SOOO on that!" Mikey's hand shot up, taking the mention of food as a sign that all was well. "I remember which ones you like, Gorgeous. Mint cream and peanut butter, smushed all together!"

"And I'll phone Master Splinter." Donnie sighed out big. "He's got to be half sick with worry."

In short, Donnie took to the skies with Mikey, and Emma caught some sleep. Casey and April watched over Leo, switching out with Raph and Emma at 1am. Mikey and Donnie would relieve them at 5am; hopefully the same time that they would move Leo out and back to the sewers. Mikey filled Emma in on the newest secret entrance Donnie had rigged up under the Brooklyn Bridge. She'd admire it sometime in the daylight though.

 **You don't always need action for things to be tense!**


	3. Chapter 3

Emma discussed with the brothers Leo's new diet of protein shakes and any possible nerve damage. Twice Leo fought to breathe and the girls righted him up to help drain possible fluids in his chest. Casey made close to ten trips to the vending machines to keep Leo hydrated and Emma changed the bandages three times. The blood that continued to seep only confirmed Emma's need to be here. He was going to need months of bed rest just to restore his hemoglobin levels. Yet, she was torn between feeling good about it and feeling like an interloper. Especially being paired with…

"It's going on two in the morning." Raph spoke up from Leo's other side.

"Three more hours to go." Emma sighed back at him.

Raph rolled his eyes. "Like Mikey counting down buy one, get one free night at Giano's."

"They brought that back?" Emma perked up, crossing her legs to a more comfortable position.

"A couple months ago." Raph confirmed with an 'a-okay' symbol. Emma nodded and they fell back into silence. They had been having a lot of those, with April and Casey catching Z's in the airport lobby. Emma saw two reasons for that. One, it was Raph. Though he was being more attentive alongside his big brother then she had ever seen him. Course, there was the second reason… he still didn't trust her. The invasion long over, her dad sentenced to jail- held in a tub of glowing mutagen gunk- and it still wasn't happening. Mikey had tried to give him a hard time about it at first, before she had left; but Raph had only cold-cocked him.

"Hope nobody's worried about you." Raph mentioned. "Since it looks like you're stuck here for a bit."

"Nobody's worried about me." Emma told him, seeing through the probe. Sure enough, Raph raised a brow. "Bet any of your friends are curious though… if they've seen your neck lately."

"Nice to see you haven't lost your subtly." Emma remarked with a hiss. She was short on sleep; he didn't want to test her. "And no one's more curious then I let them be. No one from work, from home, from church, from the coffee shop I visit four times a week; nobody."

"Uh huh…" Raph looked back down at Leo. He was sleeping, though each breath seemed to stir him awake again. Poor guy; but he could be so much worse. Emma shuttered at the thought of it. She's seen the turtles in action and she liked to believe that they could get back up on their feet, should any one of the brothers died prematurely. But Leo, their leader? The road to recovery would be long and rocky. Luckily, they wouldn't have to travel it today.

"Church?" Raph picked out from their previous conversation. "What brought that on?"

"I wasn't sleeping." Emma thought about it before admitting it. "Even before I left the city. So, I go to the church building one morning and ask God to give me sleep. If He did, I'd come to the next Sunday service." She rolled and unrolled her sleeve. "Some guy woke me up from the back pew twenty minutes later."

"Twenty minutes?"

"Then I went home and slept for eleven hours." Emma thought back to the refreshing moment of waking up afterwards. "Figured it was only fair to visit a couple of services afterwards."

"Anything enlightening?" Raph sniffed in skepticism.

"It's not recommended to make deals with God."

Raph laughed at that and Emma didn't offer anything else. She knew a couple people in the congregation that would berate her for 'joking' about God. But they were proven to be old and cankerous. Besides, it was funny in hindsight. And, if God was turning out to be the being that Emma thought, He would laugh at it too.

Her eyes trailed back to Leo. _His temperature better not rise…_

Raph gave a loud cough, breaking her out of her gaze. "Look, uh… I realize I haven't been giving you much of a break since…"

"Ever." Emma suggested.

"Hey, your dad worked for Shredder." Raph pointed emphatically. Emma pointed right back. "And it took a _clone_ of me to get me to join him."

Raph waved that off, pulling his sai out to study it. "Fair enough, I guess." He glared at his blade. "What I should be saying, I guess, is that I haven't been fair."

"Yay," Emma tilted her head, curious what had made him see the light. "Then again, I haven't been swell about it either. Your family offered me a second chance last year. I choose not to take it."

"Yeah." Raph agreed. "Mikey was crushed. Why would you do something so stupid."

 _I love this guy and his sensitivity._ Emma gave a growl. "I had just crawled out of a Kraang controlled tank, Raphael. And I couldn't help feeling that… if _that_ was what it took to prove myself to people, then I didn't have the energy or patience for it. So, I walked away from you guys… that's my bad, I guess."

"You guessed right."

"Can you blame me?" Emma glared a second, raising an eyebrow at him. "I recall you were more then happy to send me off."

"Shut up and let me talk!" Raph's eyes blazed. "Before I lose my nerve. Or change my mind."

Emma folded her arms and waited. Raph fiddled with his sai a minute more, then huffed. "Look, I've had time to cool off, think a bit. I realize that you can't let a person's actions speak for others. And, after tonight, what you've done for Leo…"

Emma got what he was saying. She paused, gave him a calculating look, and then released a snicker. "It only took an Elite Guard and a grappling hook. Or was it something else?"

Raph shrugged. Emma shrugged back at him. But a warmth was re-sprouting through her heart.

 **Well, now that that's cleared up...**


	4. Chapter 4

**}{}{Next Morning: 7 AM}{}{**

April had been dying to grab a minute for her and Emma to talk, but between tending Leo and Mikey catching Emma up on all his latest Helix victories, it had proven difficult. But finally, April found her, towel over her eyes, stretched out on the couch in the lair. Was she sleeping? Ugh, might want to do this later…

"You better have food with you if you plot to wake me up." Emma muttered, drawing April back half a step. She glanced down at the muffin resting on the saucer she had found in the kitchen. With caution, she set it on the dinged coffee table.

"That wasn't here last time." Emma had removed the towel, eyeballing the muffin, though she was talking about the table.

"Casey found it in a garage sale " April sat down on the edge of the cushions.

"Casey?" Emma's hands were already wrapped around the muffin. "Casey Jones? And garage sales?"

"He's very intuitive when it comes to antique junk." April admitted. She fiddled with her hands a moment, before uncovering her left fingers. "I think he's got a gift for it…"

"NO WAY!" Emma dropped the muffin and grabbed April's hand. "I mean, yes way. This was going to happen, I just knew it!"

She glowered over the gleaming, diamond and silver ring locked onto April's ring finger. Emma let go with one hand to retrieve the muffin. A mouthful of lemon poppy seed however, didn't stop her from talking. "Details, details, NOW! Where and when? What was he wearing, what were _you_ wearing? Were you eating anything at the time, so that when he asked, your mouth fell open and mushed up crumbs came tumbling out of your mouth?"

"No." April cried. "Casey told me afterwards that he had been waiting for two weeks to see me wearing that purple star ring that he bought me in Northhampton. And he waited until we were by the roller hockey in Inwood Park. He was down on one knee before I knew it and everybody was stopping and taking pictures…"

Emma's eyes were absolutely glowing. "Roller hockey, seriously!?"

"He said it gave him courage."

"He's hopeless!" Emma dropped April's hand and face-palmed. "But at least he finally made his move. He asked me what I thought about rings last summer."

"He was thinking about it _then!_ " April looked at her, shocked. Emma caught it, shaking her head. "Don't look so surprised. I'm not saying he thought it through, but he definitely gave it thought."

 _He did._ April eyed the ring, letting it glint with each new angle she turned it. Silence lulled; this was probably the moment. "I was dying to tell you. The guys already knew and a Facebook post wasn't really enough, you know."

Emma leaned back on the couch, leaving a third of her muffin uneaten. "Well, to push past the awkwardness, I did a fair job of pushing away when I left."

"You didn't have far to push." April said. "We were… I was a jerk."

"And my response was to be an unforgiving jerk back." Emma flicked crumbs off of her fingers. "Lot of good that's done us."

"Yeah…" April sighed. "Nobody to talk to outside of work, plan pedicures with. I got stuck down here during my period once… the guys practically threw me out!"

"Why were you down here?" Emma's hand went back for the rest of her muffin.

"I was onto this story about some plastic surgeries that had been causing lead poisoning in the patients." April started up. "But my source got spooked and wouldn't talk to me…"

She went on with the story, Emma's muffin gone and her attention full. And April feeling like their world was back where it belonged.

 **}{}{}{10 AM}{}{}{**

"Are they done talking yeeeeet!?" Mikey groaned, forehead falling to the cymbal of his drum set. "I wanna turn."

Raph brought his weights up and down two more times before he finally let them go at the foot of their bunk beds. "It's girl stuff, Mikey. It could go on all day. You remember how they could disappear into a corner and still be rambling at 3 am… Come pump some iron."

"We've already done that. For an hour straight." Mikey clutched his triceps in agony. "I can't focus on anything right now, anyway. Dad's keeping us from seeing Leo…"

"He's keeping _you_ from telling _jokes_ to Leo." Raph clarified, sitting down on Mikey's bunk.

Mikey twirled his drumsticks between his fingers, still watching Emma and April on the couch. "Her hair's longer… and laughter's the best medicine, bro."  
"Not when you have a throat that's been split in two." Raph pointed at his own thick jugular. ""Geez, grow a brain already."

"I will before you do." Mikey teased. Then he spotted Master Splinter sit down across from the girls. "Aw, c'mon! Sensei, you're killing me! And April, you're cute and all…make that unbelievably hot…"

"Why you!" Raph got Mikey's brain comment and in the next second, had Mikey flying over his drum set to escape. "AAAHH! Incoming Flying Reptile."

Mikey hit the floor and fought to collect himself, but Raph's second attack was too quick. "Let's pop open that skull of yers!" He took Mikey into a headlock, and Mikey fought for breath against his brother's bicep. "Let's gawk at how small your brain really is!"

"Ow!Owowowowow!" Mikey immediately began pleading, trying to break free. "Raph! Ow… c'mon…"

They went in circles, Raph jabbing him in the side. Mikey squirmed, pushing his weight back against Raph. Yeah, like that'd ever done him any good.


	5. Chapter 5

"Without the use of X-rays, I can't assess his internal damage until he starts speaking." Emma looked back at Master Splinter, after having watched Raph and Mikey for a moment.

"Donatello could build some device." Master Splinter suggested.

"Where would be find the radioactive material needed?" Emma asked. "Besides, Leo would be healed up before he completed any device."

"But he's breathing," April offered up, attempting a smile. "That's a good sign, right?"

There was hardly room for lying in this situation. Emma sighed. "It's all a matter of keeping Leo breathing. The threat of this is so great because we just don't' know what we're dealing with. It's obvious that they're cold-blooded, like all turtles. Nor do they possess a standard cardiovascular system. Now, inside your average turtle, there are muscles in the neck that perform a double function; swallowing and ventilating the lungs. Where these muscles are, was where the Elite Guard cut. However, given your mutation," She looked at Master Splinter now. "I can't say for sure what's turtle and what's human."

"We all maintained our animal forms during our transformation." Master Splinter assured her, holding his teacup more rigidly then he normally would.

"Only animals don't normally talk, eat pizza, or balance cinder blocks on their heads." April joked dryly. "When Donnie went through my dad's journals, he found various components of human cells spliced in to make the tests more compatible to human test subjects. There's no question that the mutagen enhanced your brains, Master Splinter. And vocal chords are a given at this point."

Emma nodded with what she was saying. "Who knows just how much of the human biology merged with yours. My utmost concern though; when Leo has a hard time breathing… I'm wondering if one or both of his lungs are collapsing. Thus far, he's proved me wrong."

Master Splinter's eyes betrayed his worry. "What you are saying… how might it affect his recovery?"

There was a crash from behind and Emma knew Mikey would need to reassemble his drum set with duct tape if he ever wanted to play it again. She put that out of her mind though, jumping in and taking one of Splinter's hands. "Leo's healthy, Master Splinter. Not just physically, but mentally. He'll pull through this; it'll just take time."

"As do all things." Master Splinter nodded, grateful for her touch. Another crash sounded through the lair, this time in the direction of the kitchen. Master Splinter closed his eyes. "Including the maturing of my younger sons."

Emma shared a look with April, making them both giggle.

"Your assessment is the only one we have, Miss Dewitter." Master Splinter ignored the commotion. "You went over this with my sons, but now that you've slept on it; how can we treat him?"

Emma sat up straighter, having given this much thought. "April and I made up a list. She texted it up to Casey and we'll have it all by tonight. We can make a chart for when he needs his bandages changed, when the cut needs to be cleaned, what painkillers we could give him. Though I doubt he'll take them."

"Yes." Master Splinter and April nodded at Leo's infamous stubbornness towards medication. Emma smiled. "Juice and power shakes are going to be his new diet, nothing solid until he can chew again."

"And a teddy bear!" Mikey suddenly slung himself over the back of the couch, panting in his escape from Raph. "Gotta.. got him a teddy bear…"

"Come 'ere!" Raph roared and Mikey was flung back, a desperate hand stretched out towards Emma.

"A little consideration for your brother." Master Splinter rose, nails tapping at his hips. Raph and Mikey glared at each other, but backed off. But everyone jumped out of their skin when a siren _whooped_ throughout the lair. Master Splinter narrowed his eyes toward Donnie's lab. "Donatelllo!"

"Uh, sensei." Donnie poked his head out. "That's the perimeter alarm."

All activity ceased as turtles, rat, and humans rushed up to Donnie's canvas of computer monitors. Donnie switched it from the news and chat rooms with a few clicks and had them seeing the camera views of the sewer channels surrounding the lair. Dark figures skulked through every one of them.

"The Foot." April stated.

Emma groaned. "This would happen as soon as _I_ get back."

"What's the point of making mistakes if you don't learn from them." April hushed her; getting a grateful hug from Emma and Mikey.

"Shredder realizes our disadvantage in manpower." Donnie stole a glance toward Leo's room.

Raph gave an agreeing nod. "Probably wants to kick us while we're down. Typical Shredhead."

There was a rattle of the railing and they all whipped their heads around to see Leo barely holding himself up to come down the stairs. He clutched a katana, but Emma would have loved to see him lift it. She was half a step ahead of everyone else in stopping him. "Leo…"

"Leo, get back in bed." Raph cried, reaching for him. But Leo's eyes steeled at his brother, gray fusing with blue. He moved past Raph and Emma, who saw his bandage spotting with fresh blood.

"Leonardo." Emma gripped his elbow, foregoing gentleness for a minute. "I put those stitches in. I can rip them back out, which would be an improvement to the damage you're doing right now."

His gaze fell on her, locking their eyes in a battle of the wills. It was the ninjitsu master versus the navy brat. Emma narrowed her focus. _I call upon thy power, O Mighty Father! Prevail against his determined soul!_

What, it was fun to speak to God in the old English. Made her prayers clearer to her sometimes, since she was new to it.

"My son," Master Splinter approached their stand-off, his own gaze a sort of tie-breaker. "Your brothers and I will handle this."

That was the final word and Leo let Emma guide him back up to his room- but he did it slowly. Emma sat him down on the bed and drew her bag up to the stool there. On went another pair of gloves and she started snipping at the bloodied bandages with her scissors. "Really! I pegged you as smarter then this. I know you feel how sensitive these stitches are! And you go messing them up anyway… what, you think I got surgical tape and thread falling out of my sleeves?"

Those would be other things to add to Casey's list. Sure enough, the second stitch in had come loose. Emma grabbed her tweezers. "I'm gonna pull this tight, understand? It's going to pinch something awful, so you better remember this next time you feel like a stroll."

Leo squeezed his hand around the edge of his bed, looking over Emma's shoulder as she refastened the stitch. It was easier said then done, yet Leo remained like a statue until Emma had put clean white gauze and tape around his neck. By then, whatever plans were needed, had been discussed and April came up to fill them in. Leo's eyes begged her for the details.

"We're taking the defensive on this," April announced. "Master Splinter doesn't want a repeat visit from the Shredder. Raph and Mikey are going to go out and thin the herd, sort of speak. Donnie came up with the idea to wash them all away with a supply of wash water he's going to redirect from Tunnel No. 3."

"How's he pulling that off?" Emma cried. "No. 3's been under construction since… when'd the Civil War end?"

April rolled her eyes. "I don't fully get it, but the guys know the locations of the older pumping stations and No. 3's connected with the other sewer lines, all the way to the East River. Donnie's going to increase the flow of hydraulic pressure just enough to put the Foot-"

"Into the East River." Emma caught on. April nodded. "And thanks to Donnie, we get to watch it all in HD."


	6. Chapter 6

_I leave for half a day of work and everybody's under siege!_ Casey lowered his phone back into his jean pocket. Raph had just finished texting him the 411 and Casey was doing himself the favor of _not_ explaining this to his boss. It looked like he wouldn't be able to get the stuff on that hefty list Emma had handed him.

Casey exchanged his monkey wrench for his bag and mask he kept stashed in his locker. _Then again… better drive over there civil-like. No help to the guys if I get pulled over._

He left the garage, bag in tow and had on leg over his bike when a hand grabbed at his shoulder. Casey immediately clawed a bat from his bag, nearly falling over in his haste to be on guard.

As it turned out, he didn't need to be. "Angel?"

The stout African-American girl nodded at him, like it was another day at the park.

"You don't SNEAK up in someone harboring a baseball bat!" Casey scolded her through his rapid heartbeat. The teenager that he'd known from the street diagonal to his for years, gave him a smirk. Her pierced eyebrow rose. "I've seen your swing, Jones. I have little to fear."

Casey forced a laugh. I'd love to talk sports with ya, but I've got somewhere to be."

"Another costume party?" Angel nodded at his bag, black and purple fun buns bouncing. Casey set his jaw as he realized his mask was sticking out. "Do yourself a favor and forget you saw that."

"I'm not the one you should be worried about, Casey." Angel moved in front of his motorcycle, blocking his path. "A couple of us were prepping for a party tonight and I came over because…"

"Party?" Casey's determination to bolt subsided for a minute. "Please tell me this isn't of the Purple Dragon variety."

Angel stayed were she was, but averted his eyes.

"What'd ya doin' back there!?" Casey was off his bike now, wishing he had two bats in his hand. He stood a better chance of beating some sense into this kid. "Your grandma know about this?"

"Casey…"

"They brand you yet?" Casey searched both of her arms, since he couldn't see her neck under her sleeveless green hoodie. "You know what those animals do to make good on their brands?"

"This isn't about me!" Angel stopped him with pleading eyes. ""Case, it's you. _They_ know that you're the vigilante." She dropped her voice lower. "Hun knows."

That stopped Casey for a moment; just a moment. "So?"

"So!?" Angel squeaked out. "Casey, you know how much trouble you've caused them?"

 _Well, not just me._ Casey chuckled to himself.

"…they want your head on a spike and Hun wants your blood as a beverage." Angel was ranting on. "They're gonna…"

"Angel, trust me." Casey calmed her with a hand to the shoulder. "They have bigger fish to fry then me."

His mind fleeted again to the guys and the all the damage that they'd… THE GUYS!

"Angel, I've gotta jet!' Casey hopped back on his motorcycle. In one fluid motion, he'd strapped his helmet, turned the key, and hit the throttle. Angel eyeballed him, but she sidestepped as he eased on the clutch.

 **}{}{}{}{}{}{**

 _All human virtues increase and strengthen themselves by the practice and experience of them._

Socrates had said this and Karai had read his works many times. Same as she had read Sun Tzu's _The Art of War_ many times. And in concordance with her readings, this one line kept returning to her. At the most random of moments. It… unsettled her.

Honor was the highest virtue that the warrior could call his own. In her duty to the Shredder, there could be no higher honor… but his latest orders, while certainly backed by Sun Tzu, did not feel honorable. But was it more honorable to let this opportunity slip by, allow their enemies to regain their strength? Treating them as equals.

 _The Shredder has no equal._ Karai reminded herself. This she knew, for it was what she had been taught, what she had been shown. And yet… the turtle called Leonardo had proven himself an equal in battle, _her_ equal.

Was that why her stomach was wrenching at the thought of the Shredder's plan now. She was in position, along with two others, waiting. Their moment to strike within these rancid sewers was nearing. She needed these thoughts to be cleared by then, centered on the duty to her master. Saki had reprimanded her once already. She still felt the shame at having questioned him. And no matter her rank, she would not be alive to feel the guilt a second time; if she dared speak against him again.

 **}{}{}{}{}{}{**

"Be swift, my sons." Master Splinter instructed. "Raphael, no unnecessary brutality. Michelangelo, no side shows. And Donatello…" he sighed with worry. "No flooding the lower level of Manhattan, again."

"Hai, sensei." The three brothers bowed before rushing in their different directions. Donnie by leaping up through the water slide, Raph and Mikey by way of the garage. April had watched them leave the lair a million times, but the tone of this one was the most ominous yet. It didn't seem right, three going out to face the Foot and not four.

 _But can't let Leo know that._ April straightened, arming herself with resolve. The poor guy would be stressing himself out as is. And having nothing but fluids for the past thirteen hours, he was probably starving, thus weak. Thus, in no condition to stress. April walked back up into Leo's room; just in time to catch him sitting up again.

"Leo." April sighed at him, hurrying over. "Lay down. Relax."

Leo looked out at the spot where Mikey and Raph had vanished. April eased him back down, taking his hand. "Have a little faith in them, hm? You think you turn your back for one second and they fall apart?"

Leo eyed her. Years of big brother experience might have made that a rhetorical question- in some regards. Even so, April didn't let up on his hand until Leo collapsed on his sheets, defeated. April smiled encouragingly at him. "There. Take a breather."

Leo looked like he wanted to say something. Plenty of somethings, most likely. But he had to settle for closing his eyes, giving April's hand a squeeze back. With any luck, he'd sleep again. Didn't he have some meditation CDs for channeling inner peace?

 _If anything, it'd make for good white noise._ April decided. She got up and went to the shelves bolted to the opposite wall. She traced the backs of a few cases, when a swift movement in and out of her peripheral made her stop. "Emma?"

She went to the railing, leaning out… and froze. _Not Emma_!

"MASTER SPLINTER!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Quick note to all you fantastic readers of mine. I've posted a poll on my profile page (and yes, I've tried saying that five times fast), allowing you to dictate some of my future one-shots. Go check it out!**

 **}{}{}{}{**

"Yooo, what's up my Feets?!"

Mikey jumped down behind the six or seven wandering soldiers. Wandering through _their_ waste-filled playground had been their second mistake. Their first was thinking that attacking them when they were angry was a bright idea.

Raph splashed down on their front flank, splitting the Foot's attention. "Look Mikey. A flock of dead geese, prim for plucking."

Mikey grinned as Raph cracked his knuckles. "A word of warning…"

"The following stunts are performed by professional teenage ninjas." Mikey pointed out, his nunchaku pulsing with their speed. "Do not attempt if you are over 21."

All this great advise and did the Foot listen? Of course not! Mikey flew in with his 'snapping-turtle kick', catching a blade before it could crack his skull. There was little room for words as the fight gained momentum. The Foot had gained some smarts; they knew to gain up on Raph in numbers of three or greater. But with the mood that hothead was in right now, the number could've been fifty and it wouldn't have mattered.

"How long did Donnie say he needed?" Mikey asked Raph as they passed each other. Raph spat out a bit of blood from his mouth- how'd that happen?- and slammed a tornado kick across one of their masked faces. "There was a time limit, but I wasn't listening. So, we can take our sweet time."

 _Not unless we wanna hang-ten New York style._ Mikey thought. But Raph knew this… eh, they had time. Time to kick some shell! Mikey whirled a chuck over the back of his neck, fazing a would-be sneak attack, leaping back into the fray with a rebel yell.

 **}{}{}{}{}{}{**

"This wasn't supposed to happen again." April was shaking her head frantically, as though the motion would erase the current events.

"It wasn't because of you." Emma told her.

"How'm I supposed to know that?" April watched Master Splinter's movements intently as he moved between the two Foot soldiers and Shredder's second, Karai. "The last time was because of a tracking devise in a BUSINESS CARD! Who knows how many ways there are to track a person, right?"

 _Oh you think you've got inner struggles!_ Emma thought selfishly a moment, feeling the familiar zing down her spine, coursing into her arms and legs. It happened every time her heart began to race, only she had learned to control the initial reaction to its surge. She stood with April at the threshold to Leo's room. They were the second line of defense, should any of the Foot get past Master Splinter.

Fat chance of that. The rat was displaying quite a bit of rage at the moment. April and Emma cringed as he sent Karai sailing out of Raph's weight room and spinning across the cement floor of the lair. Her cheek was swollen and her elbow bled, but she pushed herself up nonetheless. Her eyes found April as she did so.

"Definitely raised by the Shredder." April confirmed, widening her stance, coming down a step. Emma followed, heart thudding loudly. Could Karai hear it?

"So…" Emma clapped her hands to expel some of her anxiety. "This' the big chick fight scene, right? You know, if this were a Michael Bay movie…"

Karai was a blur as she shot forward and dropped Emma to the floor. Emma pressed a hand to her chest, gasping for air. _Ok, my mistake! NEVER mention Michael Bay!_

 **}{}{}{}{}{}{**

"Karai!" April tried to speak, but Karai wasn't going to listen. Her own conscience had been talking her ear off since this mission had begun. Her window was short, while the rat was occupied. She knocked the reporter back and charged up the two steps, bringing herself to the platform they had been pathetically guarding.

He stood there, waiting, a hand steadying himself on the beam while the other held out a katana. Karai saw the gauze, hardly missing the labored pain in his eyes. And still, he stood… but he had left himself wide open. Karai put her wakizashi at the ready… but her feet didn't move to advance. It was a thrust that she had perfected years ago; a thrust she had killed many with. It would've made short work of O'Neil and the other girl.

 _The ones I killed… they were those who were fighting against me._ Karai's throat caught as Leonardo's piercing blue eyes found hers. She tightened her grip on her hilt. _What fight are they to me, like this?_ _This' by order of the Shredder! The one you swore life and duty to!_

Her master... and her the servant. Had she never seen herself as anything else? Karai knew she wouldn't even be entertaining these questions if it wasn't for Leonardo. Leonardo and his questions… _No remorse and no regard for the human lives that he's ravaged…_

 _You're not so blind…_

 _That really the kind of guy you want to side with?_

The question he'd asked just before he had saved her from plummeting over the side of the parking garage of Saks Robotics. For once, someone was asking _her_ and not the Shredder.

 _...if there was ever a time you want to switch sides..._

Karai's thoughts blitzed, and then blanked at the pain that erupted through her skull.

 **}{}{}{}{}{}{}{**

 _Ok, pumping station, dead ahead!_ Donnie reached the door and turned its handle. It had taken him nineteen seconds longer to arrive then he'd predicted, thus pushing his stress levels into the eighties percentile. He pulled the door open, shuttered at the draft of musty air it created, and slipped inside. His comm rang and he pressed it. "Donnie, here."

"Donnie, I'm coming up on the abandoned warehouse on Eastmen and Laird." Casey yelled into the comm that Donnie had wired into his helmet. "Who'm I closer to?"

The calculations zipped through Donnie's mind in nanoseconds. "Me, but I don't think there's anything you can really…."

"Hey, a good fight always needs Casey Jones."

 _Egomaniac._ Donnie sighed, looking over the valves and gauges. "Case, we're already in the middle of a plan. You don't need to…"

A force hit him across the chest, knocking him backwards from the controls. Donnie flailed as his glasses fell from his face, while getting his bo into position. What was it, what had hit him? The Foot couldn't have known that this was where he was headed.

"Donnie?" Casey called out.

Donnie watched the room intently, dispelling a third of the shadows with the floodlight taped to his shoulder. He caught the four figures as their mysterious fog faded away. Donnie gulped… he recognized that fog. And the Elite Guard that always magically appeared from beyond it. "Yeah, Casey… forget I said anything."

 **Lots going on, I know... think you can keep up?**


	8. Chapter 8

"LEO!"

April was several steps behind Emma, already believing they were steps coming too late. She'd get up there and find Leo dead at Karai's feet. Tears were already pricking at her eyes until the only body April saw dropping was Karai's. Her black-clad form crumbled in a heap, almost falling through the railing. Emma, who had been standing over her, lowered her left hand; the hand with pale shades of blue pulsing through the palm!

What had just happened?

"Emma?" April cried out of pure astonishment. She looked from Emma's hand to Karai's body, but her brain refused to connect the two.

"My son." Master Splinter scurried past both girls and measured Leo's state with his eyes. Leo about fell back onto his bed, sword gripped tightly for support. But he looked up and pointed at Emma. His eyebrows asked the obvious question.

"Let me just say," Emma raised both of her hands- now their normal, pale-peach color- in defense. "This didn't fester until _after_ I moved."

"What, exactly?" Master Splinter studied her, then turned to April. "Someone. Explain."

Emma looked like she was about to, when her eyes moved with something behind April. "Apr-"

A hand grabbed April's shoulder. Out of instinct, April turned with its jerk, blocking the punch that the Foot flunkie threw her way. He was a big one so she aimed below the belt. He faltered, but didn't let her go. That was where Emma's hand suddenly lashed out and fastened around the side of his neck.

In the next instant, April's arm and leg hair stood on end, a sweet taste entering her mouth. Emma's palm went blue again and April shook the Foot's hand off. Quick, jagged sparks of electricity shot a few inches out from Emma's fingers. Now the Foot were known for their masking layers, but still, the soldier's body jerked for a moment, before collapsing like Karai had.

April licked her lips, just staring. But Emma didn't waste time. She rushed down to greet the third Foot; pausing when he drew his sword inches from her face. Emma eyed it a moment, then smirked. "You really don't get how this works."

She clapped both hands to the end of the blade. It lit up with a surge of electrical light that attacked the Foot soldier from head to toe. Four seconds of this and he was on the floor, out cold. Emma brought her hands in, wringing them, like they hurt. She looked past April, seeing Master Splinter. "Is Leo ok?"

"He's fine." Master Splinter answered back, his voice reserved. Emma glimpsed over her hands, then went back to rubbing them. "I want to explain this, but I can't; not exactly. I mean, the answer's obvious. My time in that stupid tank had some… side effects."

She mentioned the tank so casually. Not like seven months ago, when she could barely say a word about it. Perhaps the time away had been a good thing.

"Can I save the deposition for Donnie?" Emma asked, uncomfortable with the spotlight. "I mean, he's the one you'd want to talk to, if you were me, right? Course, if you were me…"

"Later." Master Splinter stopped her. "The others will be back soon. We must decide what to do about 'them'."

Did he want a list of how limited their options were?

 **}{}{}{}{}{}{**

Donnie was running out of options for keeping the Elite Guard from killing him. That, and time to clear the rest of the Foot Clan out of the sewers. If he didn't turn those valves, the water couldn't build up, thus couldn't wipe out the newfound scum running through their backyard. But this Elite Guard… for the love of Isaac Newton, they had bested Leo!

 _It was a lucky shot._ Donnie told himself- and he was talking about more then the cut the naginata gave his right forearm. Only, he'd never believed in luck. He ducked and rolled and spun his bo as he came, blocking two simultaneous attacks. "So… you guys like, quadruplets or something?"

His question got him a grappling hook wrapped around his bloodied arm. "The birth rate of those have been on the rise. Five out of every one hundred thousand live births…"

He pushed the button on his bo that extended its dual electrical probes. They stunned the two sandwiching him long enough to punch out to kick back the smug one with the grappling hook. Forgetting his thoughts for a moment, he rushed in and punched the last one, catching his weapon before it could fall with its owner.

 _Nice kusari-gama._ Donnie cocked his head at the hooked blade and chain sarcastically. _I could use one of these… NOT!_

He threw it down in disgust. It hit the ground at the same moment that pain split his skull from behind, but Donnie forced himself to stay up. _C'mon! For Leo!_

Another blow came at him, across his shoulder. There was the sting as more skin broke. No, he couldn't do this to his family…

"Forte!" A wild yell drew all ninja attention as a golf ball came zinging out of the shadows. The third Guard member caught it before it could take his eyes out. He grunted. "Really?"

Donnie was about to join his unimpressed tone, when he then noticed the _type_ of golf ball he held. He turned his head right as the ball imploded, spraying his crude formula of tear gas all over. Donnie waited while two more sounded, drawing the Elite Guard to their knees. Under the cover of the cloud, Donnie and Casey knocked them all flat. Holding their breath made for huffing and puffing at the end, but they emerged satisfied. Casey straightened, hanging his golf club cockily over his shoulder. "And who calls golf a dull game?"

Donnie nodded his thanks. "Cover my six while I build the pressure up."

"Done." Casey joined his bat with the golf club. Donnie didn't bother to tell him that he didn't stand a chance if any of the Elite Guard got back up. But if he knew Casey, he wouldn't let them get that far. Donnie went to work over the valves and gauges when his comm pinged with another incoming call. Did everyone just expect him to answer, with a magical mathematical equation that could solve everything!? How was he supposed to get anything accomplished with everyone tugging his brain in eight different directions?!

Donnie switched his comm on. "I'm going as fast as I can! Give me-"

"Donnie."

That gave Donnie pause. "Emma?"

"Hey, funny question." She jumped right in. "What've you read on electro-shock therapy?"


	9. Chapter 9

You could fry their brains." April pointed out, dangerously close to biting her nails.

"You got a better suggestion?" Emma looked between April and Master Splinter. She was leaning on the edge of Splinter's meditation circle, the two Foot soldiers where she'd dropped them; same with Karai behind April, where Leo kept looking at here. Seriously, what was he hoping to see? And whatever weirdness they all were feeling, it was taking second place to their present dilemma. Emma had just hung up with Donnie and babbled about temporal lobes and procedural memories and Emma was mouthing the same speech… sort of.

"It's simple," Emma nodded- did she think it made her more convincing. "I zap them right behind the temples and blank the last thirty minutes of memory- or maybe their last thirty hours."

"Oooh." Master Splinter massaged the bridge of his nose.

"Well, what would be the alternative?" Emma slashed her throat. "I won't say that killing someone is an impossible task for me- I've actually played out quite a few scenarios in my head over the years- but that doesn't mean I'm going to jump at the chance to do it."

She had them there. April looked at the fallen Foot soldiers. "I don't think I can watch this."

Emma squatted down. "But you're going to anyway."

She rolled up the sleeves of the sweatshirt April had lent her and removed the mask from the soldier's face. They all started when it turned out to be an American face.

"I…" April cleared her throat. "I was expecting a Japanese man."

Emma eyed her. "That's racist."

April gave a dry laugh; so Emma hadn't stopped watching Cinemasins on YouTube. That lightened their mood and Emma slowed her breath, posing her palms on either side of the Foot soldier's head. She found the skin right behind his temples, inhaled twice more, and placed her fingertips to his hairline. Like magic, faint blue voltage snaked beneath her skin, down her arms and gathered in her hands, growing brighter in her fingers. Emma pressed her fingertips inward and the blue fizzed out, connecting with the soldier's temples. He stiffened and seethed, but Emma kept her hands where they were. Her lips moved as they did. Was she praying?

"Ok." Emma moved her hands back, the electricity retreating with her. "Um… he's still breathing. So, next?"

With a nervous laugh, Emma shocked the second Foot soldier- who _did_ turn out to be Japanese. Both remained unconscious and they all stared, like it might give them answers.

"Anything?" April asked as Emma passed up the steps. Emma shrugged back at her. "I guess… our biological energies connected? And I was able to overpower his… I'm a regular Mary Shelley now, I guess."

Master Splinter didn't see the humor. "You must be careful to keep your mind balanced. Undistracted."

"Hai." Emma nodded to herself. She gave Leo a look, kneeling down next to Karai.

Her hands were at the ready when Karai's suddenly reached up, grabbing Emma around the neck. Her knee shot up and thwacked Emma in the forehead. Emma slumped over as Karai sprung up, advancing on Leo.

"No!" April leapt over Emma and rammed herself into Karai's back. It had the domino effect and sent both Karai and Leo down. Leo hit the floor with a gaggled cry. Karai pushed April off, her wakizashi raised. Leo's hand came up around her wrist, but his muscles quivered. April mimicked his grip, their three hands fighting for control of the blade. April spotted Leo's eyes, intent on Karai's face. This was usually where he tried to talk some sense into their would-be murderer. What would he say?

"You know this' wrong!" April pulled the wakizashi back, reeling the pressure off of Leo. That at least got Karai to look at her.

"You serve Shredder." April tightened her grip until her fingers hurt. "I get that. But can't you just think for yourself for one minute?! Does this feel right to you?"

Karai's gaze wavered back to Leo. He locked their eyes, causing hers to fall out of their narrow slits. April felt like she was missing something. But she took advantage of it and summoned all her strength to yank Karai off of Leo. She put herself between them, heart beating almost too fast for her breath. "I'm not asking you to give up the fight. But… just for a reprieve. Please."

For a moment, Karai did not move. Then the decision was made for her. Master Splinter's tail coiled around her waist and slung her backward, over the railing. Master Splinter followed her. "April! See to Leonardo!"

April turned back to the turtle, checking over his neck for any new blood. Leo tired to bat her off, but she helped him up. Not an easy task by herself, but Emma was conveniently unconscious. Course, without her to supposedly wipe out Karai's memory, what was Master Splinter planning to do? Leo shook April's arm and she grabbed his shoulders. "Leo, lay down."

He tightened his grip.

"Leo, what?" April betrayed her own exhaustion. Leo motioned for a notepad by Donnie's bed and April handed it to him with a half broken pencil. Leo scribbled and flipped it over to her. _LET HER LEAVE._

"Are you insane!" April looked at him, wanting to rip the notepad apart. "Leo, she came here to kill you! She-"

Leo scribbled again. _TRUST ME._

Trust him. Normally she wouldn't question that, but… did he even realize what he was suggesting? April glanced back to show Master Splinter, when she paused. Then tilted her head, looking around the lair. "You… you hear that?"

 **}{}{}{}{}{**

Mikey raised his head, his concentration broken from the fight. "Yo bro… you hear that?"

Raph stopped himself mid-punch. All else in the tunnel became still. A faint noise, like a rumble of thunder, sounded from beyond the curve of the tunnel. In the suspended seconds, it grew louder… and louder. Raph pushed the Foot soldier away from him. "Make tracks, Mikey!"

"More like take flight!" Mikey started sprinting, following Raph toward the opposite end of the tunnel. He winked at the soldiers he passed. "Thanks for playing, we'll need to do it again some time!"

They left the Foot behind, the rumble becoming a roar as it rushed closer. Raph motioned to the ladder up ahead. He bounded up to the middle rungs, caught Mikey's hand, and slung-shot him into the piping overhead. Mikey grabbed the pipes easily, keeping his feet out for Raph to grab ahold of.

That was when the ten foot wall of water burst around the curve, slushing and swirling toward them at tsunami speed. It was the first time Mikey had ever heard members of the Foot Clan scream. It wasn't a gratifying sound.

"Raph, hurry…"

The initial wave slapped Mikey in the face, trying to drag him under by his feet. Mikey clutched at the pipe for all he was worth, screaming his head off. His voice was of course lost beneath the raging vacuum of water careening through the sewers, toward the East River. The force stayed strong for long, endless seconds, the water began to calm, and finally lower.

And Raph's hand had disappeared from Mikey's foot!

"Oh no!" Mikey scanned the surface of the water, filthy as it was. "Raph! Raphael!"

No answer, not even his own echo.

"Uh man," Mikey clunked his forehead on the cold, slimy metal pipe. "My big violent, cuddly teddy bear! He'll never punch another face again."

A quick neck snap broke into his eulogy. Mikey recovered and looked down between the two pipes. Raph stared up at him, his head dripping just above the receding waterline. One hand clutched at the pipe, the other was clenched into a fist. "You were saying?"

"Oh." Mikey rubbed his nose.


	10. Chapter 10

**}{}{}{Afternoon, 1 PM}{}{}{**

"The Elite Guard?" Raph raised his brow. "You? Alone?"

"Hey, I was there." Donnie pointed out, putting antiseptic over the minor cuts on his arms. Emma's bag proved to have everything, be her patient animal or human- or in-between. Where Raph and Mikey had only been a bit water-logged, he and Casey had actually drawn blood.

"Guess your stupidity's good for something." Raph was mouthing off to Casey, but his face told everyone that he wished he had been there to personally rip the heads off of the Shredder's Elite Guard. Then, he would've likely kicked those heads into the nearest sewer line and watched them float like buoys along the current.

"And here?" Mikey bounced up next to Emma, who sat on the rim of Splinter's meditation circle. "It was all good?"

There was a stark silence as Emma and April shared glances with Master Splinter. Sensei stroked his whiskers before answering. "Karai found us."

"WHAT!?" the shouts of the three brothers echoed up and out, vibrating the grates above. Then the questions bombarded. "How? Where are they now? Emma, is that what you called-"

Emma opened her mouth, but Master Splinter stopped her. "One bridge at a time, Miss Dewitter."

"Meaning?" Raph pressed, his concern channeling back over to Leo, who'd been sitting up by his bed; hopefully resting.

"We're not certain how they found us." Master Splinter stated, eyes downcast.

April bounced on her heels nervously. "Master Splinter took care of them, but Leo… he convinced us to… let Karai go."

"Without wiping her memory." Emma added in, getting a quizzing look from Mikey. Not that they could know what that meant. But letting Karai go gave a pretty clear picture.

Raph spun on his brother, leaping up and over the railing so he could look him in the eyes. The entire room expected him to erupt. But instead, he just stared. "Tell me that April's joking. Tell me you protected our home."

Leo couldn't answer, but his stare said plenty. Raph threw his hands up. "Well, what was the point in saving your life, then?! You realize she's gonna go squealing to the Shredder and then he's gonna have the while Foot Clan on our shells by dinnertime." He stalked away, only to stomp back. "Leo, why would you-"

Leo held up a notepad that had been designated as his. SHE'S NOT SHREDDER.

"She's the next worst thing." Raph growled.

"She had the chance to kill Leo, but she hesitated." April put in, coming up the steps. "Raph, I wouldn't be going along with this except for that."

Leo scribbled farther down the page. HER EYES ARE LOST. NOT SURE, LIKE SAKI'S. TRUST ME.

Raph just looked too bewildered to argue anymore. "I'm never gonna get you."

"Speaking of getting it…" Emma piped up, shrugging Mikey's arm off. "We… er, rather I… wait till you guys see this!"

 **What cha think? Good twist, or cliche? Let me know, and a new story will be coming soon... this isn't the last chapter of this story, but let me know if I should go any farther with this plot point. Could really use the** **input b/c I've got some great TMNT tales tucked away in my brain!**


	11. Epilogue

**}{}{}Three Months Later{}{}{**

Leo woke up every morning with the same thought. _Thank you._

He wasn't too sure who it was he was thanking, but the feel of air passing in and out easily through his throat was simply too sweet a pleasure.

This June morning, too early to be more then shadows, Leo got up from his bed in easy-learned silence. Swift and sure as rushing water, Leo grabbed his katanas, exited the lair, and left the sewers altogether. Going topside had become his habit once again last week. None of his family wanted him to strain himself. But _that_ was what Leo did. He strained and he pushed and he hardened himself to endure better, learn better, and thus lead better.

For once though, his strain was on something else. That said, Leo determined to reach the corner high-rise of 42nd in his usual time, in spite of his softened muscles. When he finally got there, he had to bend over in a pant that made him hold his throat. A part of him still feared the sealed scar, irrationally believing that it'd burst open again. And that no one would be able to save him this time. Emma had admitted she'd felt the same about the holes in her neck and forehead. She kept thinking that the holes would crack and grow around the edges, until…

Leo shook his head, tearing his hand away from his own scar. The stitches were out and the tissue had closed back up. His voice was a bit hoarse and his solid food intake was slow going. But he was alive. And that was why he was here this morning. A slender, single-point shuriken with a note attached to it had invited him up top. It had been flung while he was catching a few minutes alone- or so he'd thought- near Tunnel No. 3, where Donnie had sent the Foot surfing. It had stated; _42_ _nd_ _High Rise. Wednesday, before dawn._

The choice had been interesting because Leo frequented that high-rise… and it was odd that someone other then his family would know that. He approached the high rise cautiously, keeping his presence a secret, hoping his host would show himself first.

 _You already know who it is._ Leo sighed, but he stayed where he was. It was still a member of the Foot clan he was dealing with. And a good one, at that.

The roof of the high rise was actually an expansion of a penthouse, mostly level with a swimming pool and a jungle of potted plants. In the right light, the shadows were a ninja's paradise, from the wall of double-plated glass that ran the length of the roof, leading into the living space beyond. Leo kept to these shadows and waited… until a new shadow joined the plethora.

Her image surprised Leo. He didn't miss the katana and o tanto wrapped at her waist, but they were over a simple gray hoodie and black yoga pants. There had been her nonchalant pose that one time, but she had been strictly dressed in the uniform of a Foot solider even then. She must have left under the pretense of exercising. Her hair, always placed tightly into a bun or a ponytail, tumbled out from the hood though. It looked… unsettled; maybe like its owner?

Leo waited another few minutes, to ensure that Karai was alone. He gathered a long breath for courage, then stepped out. There was a pause before Karai copied his entrance. Leo made sure they were facing each other, though the bare black sky didn't reveal her eyes or the wild red streak across her thick bangs.

Leo realized he was sweating, even though his run had ended ten minutes ago. How to approach this, verbally?

"I'm not sure what I'm supposed to say to you." Leo admitted, eyes still scanning the roofline behind Karai. "Except that I got your message… and, thank you."

"Save your thanks." She stopped him on the last syllable. "My actions were not out of mercy- for you or your family. I was clearing my debt."

 _Her… debt?_ Leo looked at her face for the first time. It was calm and cold; rigidly so. Whatever emotion she had betrayed down in the lair, he wouldn't see again tonight. "I don't follow…"

"We are even now." Karai stated, her shoulders commanding her body to turn from him. "The next time you see me Leonardo, my blade _will_ be drawn against you."

"Then why isn't it now?" Leo stepped closer. He didn't get dragged all the way out here to make note of old threats. "If it was the Shredder's blade, we'd already be going at it. And you work in the Shredder's stead, right?"

Her eyes flashed back toward him. "I was considering this a professional courtesy, but you are tempting fate, reptile!"

Leo about laughed, pointing a finger at her. "Courtesy? Now I know you didn't learn that from your master." He forced the ironic smile off his face. "Bet I can guess what brought you up here tonight. You want to know why I risked trusting you, Karai?"

Her lips tightened, the hood and shadows keeping her eyes hidden. Leo went on. "Sorry to say, I can't give you a straight answer. Maybe it's because I don't understand you. I don't understand how you can blindly follow someone like the Shredder when it's obvious that you're nothing like him."

"You know nothing of my master." Karai seethed through her teeth. "Thus nothing of me. I was abandoned; my own worthlessness to blame for my parents leaving me."

Leo's ears stung at those words. What kind of parents would do that, say that?

"Oruku Saki brought my worth back to me." Karai's head lifted finally, the shadow of the hood pulling back far enough to show her eyes. "A life, a purpose. I have pledged my days to him as a symbol of my gratitude. To go back on that, to dishonor him… it is unthinkable."

He hadn't expected her to explain so much. In a way, it confirmed what Leo had been thinking for a while. She was just another victim that Shredder had trapped in his web of manipulation.

"You are very noble and loyal. But what of your honor?" Leo posed to her, another step closer. "What of your conscience, Karai? You can't hope to balance it over both sides in this. You're curious, aren't you? What it's like outside of the Foot clan?"

"Stop." Karai ordered through a rigid jaw.

But Leo pressed, feeling the same eagerness in his chest from back in November. "Do you even know yourself apart from the Shredder?"

Her o tanto flashed alive this time, swiping hard at Leo's chest. He bent back, narrowly avoiding it. He reached for his right katana, but kept it sheathed. He watched her, the hood fallen back and hair thrown with the wind. She held the o tanto, poised as ever, but she looked unsure of how to use it next. "Why do you care, Leonardo?! Instead of killing me, you question me. You fight as my enemy, yet speak to me as a child. Why?"

"One life, one encounter." Leo drew out the Japanese idiom. "That's the code I try to live my nights by, as I do what I can for this city."

"So I'm just another project."

"You're a person." Leo told her. "A person with more of a heart then Shredder will ever have. And it's never too late to…"

She wasn't listening anymore, driving the o tanto forward. Leo dodged again, but it put enough space between them for Karai to spin on her heel. Leo checked his footing, watching as she darted for the southeast corner. _She wouldn't! I mean, I do it all the time, but…_

Karai twisted over the railing and her body dropped from view. Leo rushed to the side and looked down at the building that was close to thirty feet below him. Karai lingered at its edge, o tanto hooked into the siding until she could swing herself up. And all Leo could do was watch. But he shook himself when he realized he was watching her hair more then anything else.

 _Get a grip, Leo!_ He warned himself, turning the other direction, mapping out a route for home. _It didn't work. And maybe it never will._

But, he could always hope that it would.

 **THE END**

 **Scenes between these two characters are almost too much for me to handle! I will have a new TMNT story up in a couple of weeks. An eternity, I know, but it will come, I promise!**

 **(Also, don't forget to check out the poll on my profile page... might help me come up with some cool one-shots and I believe in audience participation.)**

 **Re-read some of your favorite M/E Chronicles, or go explore some new ones that have just been published. FanFiction is full of great and expressive writers... and an encouraging fan base!**

 **Until next time... COWABUNGA!**


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